TAMPA, Fla. — When most Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans took a look at the salary cap situation heading into the 2023 season, they expected a rebuilding year and may have started looking ahead to the NFL Draft.
The Bucs have more than $81 million in dead cap space this year, the majority coming from Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady's previous contract. With a total cap of $223 million and change, the Bucs have more than a third of their cap in dead money this season.
For most teams, that would be enough to send a team into tank mode, but not the 2023 Buccaneers.
Hitting on a free agent signing and draft picks was a necessity when facing that much dead cap space. The Bucs did just that.
The Bucs needed a quarterback to step into the post-Brady huddle. Tampa took a look around the league and settled on a one-year contract with former number-one overall pick Baker Mayfield.
He had bounced around to multiple teams last season before ending up on the Bucs roster to start the year. In the regular season, Mayfield has put up career highs in passing yards (4,044), touchdowns (28), and completion percentage (64.3).
Mayfield did all of that while costing the Bucs just $1.7 million against the salary cap.
Combined with Mayfield's production, the Bucs' draft picks of Calijah Kancey and YaYa Diaby both played a key role in the defense, again setting the pace for the team.
The Bucs combined the newcomers with key contributors like Mike Evans, Devin White, Shaq Barrett, Chris Godwin, and Vita Vea to produce another NFC South division crown and fourth-straight playoff berth.
Regardless of what happens in the playoffs, the Bucs have wildly exceeded expectations. But storm clouds of more salary cap issues are on the horizon for next season.
The Bucs will re-sign left tackle Tristan Wirfs, but also have a big decision to make on wide receiver Mike Evans. He's been one of the best receivers in the NFL since his rookie season, but the team couldn't come to a contract agreement with him before the season.
The team will also have decisions on linebackers Devin White and Lavonte David, along with a key decision on quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Still, that's next year.
Until then, the Bucs still have business to tend to starting next Monday night in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles.
